


Red String of Fate

by MitchiBee



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: ADHD Arya, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 01:52:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7738879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MitchiBee/pseuds/MitchiBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time place or circumstances. The cord may stretch or tangle, but it will never break"</p><p>A collection of ficlets about Tommen/Arya set in various alternative universes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Girl of Many Names

**Author's Note:**

> These series of ficlets are inspired by a ship often discussed between me and my writing partner, Gryphoness. All these ficlets take place in alternate universes to each other unless states otherwise. 
> 
> *This chapter is a companion piece to [Chapter 10 of outlawerofbeets's "in every universe (i'll find you and i'll choose you)"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5227358/chapters/14672761). Hers is written from Tommen's pov while this chapter is told from Arya's pov.

She rarely took the time to enjoy herself. Not that this was a compliant. After all, she enjoyed fencing. Why else would anyone choose to dedicate the majority of their time to one thing? But after her injury in her previous tournament, she couldn’t afford to just enjoy herself. Physical therapy left her exhausted, lacking the energy that made her… _her_. And she had to work even harder to make up for lost time.

Maybe it’d be better now. Loras recruited her to help his annual workshops for kids who wanted to learn how to fence. It was one of his first workshops and training that inspired her to join the sport that it only felt right to give back. What else did she have to do since she decided to take a year off school in order to focus on recuperating for the upcoming tournament? It would be her first official Summer Westeros Games. Previously, she competed in two different Summer Youth Westeros Games. She was made it pretty far that first time around, especially being one of the youngest at 14 but didn’t manage to place. The second time, though, she brought home the gold.

These past two years were sent working towards the Games. With only a few months to go, stressed hardly began to describe her state of being. Her family was so supportive and Arya was more than thankful for them. But it was hard when it felt like all eyes were on you. There was speculation that she already peaked and her injury would prevent her from raising up to the level required of her. All that noise and criticism made fencing dull and she found herself missing the days she just fenced for fun where no one expected anything of her besides doing her best.

After the workshops ended for the afternoon, the girl had some time to kill before needing to meet Bran. Wandering the streets for a bit, not exactly familiar with the area the gym was located, she spied a nearby coffee shop. She headed in, hoping they had a decent selection of teas. Coffee made her _way_ too hyper.

Staring up at the board, she nibbled on her lower lip trying to find, oh pretty please, ginger tea.

“Hi. Welcome to Two Crowns. What can I get for you today?"

Blinking at the realization someone said something, Arya turned her attention to the barista with blond curls. Eyeing him from head to toe, she couldn’t help but notice he was… a little uncomfortable in his own skin. Despite the cheerful demeanor, Arya could feel his unease or maybe it was in the way he was rubbing his fingers together as he awaited her answer.

Reading people was something she could do. Arya could make friends with everyone and would gladly do so. But she could tell the good ones from the bad with just a look.

Poor kid was one of the good ones. What sort of person puts that much effort into making yourself uncomfortable for a job?

Grey eyes lingered, studying the boy before her, the guy looked like he thought she was gonna eat him or something. “A ginger tea,” she spoke to spare him from his anxiety.

"Y-You," the blond cleared his throat. She watched him flush, a soft red on his pale features. "You didn't give me your name, Ma'am."

 _Ma’am?_ She wanted to repeat. She wasn’t older enough to be a ma’am. At most, she was only a few years older than the barista. _Ma’am…_

But she kept her mouth shut. He already looked like a fawn in headlights. She should cut him some slack. Really, she should. After all, she knew all too well what it was like to be put in a situation where you were uncomfortable. Maybe she wanted to be someone else for a few moments. Maybe she just wanted to have some fun. Maybe she had that stupid song _Mercy_ stuck in her head cause it was playing in the car earlier.

For some reason or another, Arya answered.

“Mercy.” 

 

* * *

 

 When she came back the next day, it wasn’t planned. It wasn’t like the tea was honestly that great. But she had nowhere to go after the day’s workshop and had been wandering again. Just listening to music and wandering was something she did a lot. Arya wasn’t the sort able to stay in one location for too long. But without her noticing, she found herself in the shop and walking towards the counter. To her pleasant surprise, it was the same barista.

“Ginger tea,” she said, saving him the trouble of going through the motions. Arya pursed her lips as a beat or two passed with no words exchanged.

"Mercy, right?" the blond asked.

Arya shook her head. Deciding it was too late to give him her real name. She had no explanation for yesterday and maybe something good could come out of this.

“Cat,” she chose to answer, smirking all the while daring him to say otherwise. Unforuntately, whatever she unknowly started yesterday she was very interested in continuing, especially as they locked eyes. It was a challenge. Arya Stark was not a girl who backed down from a challenge. It was like a fencing match, when you pivotted and moved between offense and defense in a blink of an eye. Well, she wasn’t going to back down.

"Cat," he spoke, scribbling down the name. "I like cats,” he added.

 “Well, I’m a dog person,” she answered, taking her receipt and moving onwards to the pick up area.

 

* * *

 

That’s how it started.

The third day she went back when the workshop ended. He was there again with that same bright smile and this… kinda unbelievable excitement in his emerald eyes. For a cat person, he sure reminded her of a puppy. His presence was infectious. If you watched as she did, you saw his enthusasim rub off on his co-workers and the customers.

She couldn’t remember the last time she was able to completely forget about fencing. But somehow whenever she came into this little coffee shop, it was like stepping away from the pressure and leaving it outside those doors. Here she spent her time getting to be someone else. Just for a few moments.

“Ginger tea please,” she told him before he opened his mouth. “For Beth.”

He didn’t argue this time, only arching a brow at the name. When she made no effort to correct him, he wrote down the name on the cup. Arya leaned over the counter a bit to get a clearer look at his nametag. The girl was not subtle in her movement and the barista immediately moved to cover the tag.

“That’s not very fair.”

“Life’s not fair,” she answered with a shrug. “But fine. To be fair, I’ll call you Sunshine. Alright, Sunshine?”

The barista, Tommen was what it read on the name tag, made a face. “I do actually have a name. It’s—“

I know, she could have answered. But Arya just laughed. “Sunshine,” she told him firmly. “It fits.” 

 

* * *

 

“You seem different lately.”

“What?” Arya paused her game and flopped around to look over at Bran who as usual was nose deep in a book. 

“Actually, not different. Just you’re more like yourself again. We were all getting a bit worried for a while. So what’s changed?” he questioned, setting his book down and rolling his wheelchair closer.

“Nothing. I’m me and I’ve always been me.” She couldn’t lie to Bran. Arya couldn’t really get away with lying in her family when they knew her so well. But there was no hiding anything from Bran. They were less than a year apart, grew up more like twins than just brother and sister.

Bran bumped his chair into her leg. “Tell me or I’m going to keep doing this.”

“Drop it, Bean,” she warned. Her brother paused at the childhood nickname and did as she asked (for once), returning to his book.

“Whatever Wa Wa,” he retorted. “I always find out.”

 

* * *

   
_Nan. Lana. Salty. Nymeria. Squab. Weasel._

Still, she had yet to reveal her name and wasn’t sure she wanted to. She didn’t want what they had to change. It became her daily routine. Her day consisted of her own training, working with the kids, taking a break and grabbing her cup of tea, hanging out at the coffee shop, the picking up Bran, then more training. Except the time she spent at the coffee shop grew longer and longer.

When Tommen went on his break, he’d join her at her table and they’d just talk. She got to know the other employees as well. She came to learn that he really wasn’t joking about liking cats. A customer came with her cat one of the days and Arya had _never_ seen someone so captivated by a ball of fluff. Tommen was always smiling. However when he saw the cat she thought smile would permanently alter his features with how wide he was smiling. He couldn’t focus on anything but the animal and she swore he let out a squeal when the owner let him pet the kitten.

It was a adorable.

He was very different from her and perhaps she admired that about him. He managed to find the best in _everything._ His optimism could be ridiculous. Turns out he wasn’t a coffee drinker either. He loved hot chocolate. Yes, _hot_ chocolate. They were in the middle of a long summer and he still insisted on drinking hot chocolate.

There was a night she ended up staying at Two Crowns till closing. She didn’t have to be the one to drive Bran since Robb was in town. Tommen even made her a cup of hot chocolate with his secret fixings. They just talked. She hadn’t even realized how late it was. It was the longest conversation she had in months that didn’t revolve around fencing. They talked about movies (his favorite was Aristocats) and about their families. He was really close to his sister and currently shared an apartment with her. He was only working as a barista for the summer. He was studying to be a vet. Yes, they talked a little about fencing but that was usually unavoidable. 

Arya learned other things too. He talked with his hands a lot. His hands told her a lot. He was uncomfortable around customers who spoke too quickly or loud. In those situations, he’d rub his hands together and play with his fingers. He was quieter than her and never minded that she’d begin long-winded rants and how her thoughts could jump from one to another without connection. He always listened intently. He was overwhelmed, or bored or annoyed. He’d listen and interject comments and laugh.

Most of all, around him she realized she could be herself. It was ironic that he still didn’t know her name.

 

* * *

 

There was no reason for her to climb through Bran’s bedroom window. She wasn’t fifteen and sneaking out to a party but she needed to talk to him anyways. As she expected, he was still awake. He never went to bed until she came home.

“Hey.” Arya shut and the window but leaving it unlocked in case Rickon or someone needed a way back into the house. With Bran’s room on the first floor, it was just easier to sneak in undetected through his window than the front or back door. “So… I think I need to talk about this thing.”

“The boy thing?”

She gave him the look _, e_ yes narrowing, lips tight running through possible excuses before just giving in. If not Bran, there wasn’t anyone else she could talk about this. Sansa would make a big deal about her ‘first real crush’ or whatever stupid name you’d call this. Robb and Jon would be out trying to give Tommen the talk before she finished the story. And Rickon? She wasn’t going to bother her baby brother about problems like this. “Yes. The boy thing.”

Bran scooted aside, leaving Arya room to sit beside him on the bed. “So at the beginning of the summer…” She told him everything and Bran listened to it all without saying a word until she finished.

“You know you have to tell him your name _eventually._ “ 

“I know.” 

“You can invite him to your tournament this weekend. You know mum bought those extra tickets so we could bring guests.”

Arya rolled over to lie on her stomach, studying Bran’s expression as he messed with his phone. “Did you bring up the tournament because you wanted to invite your girlfriend?”

“Maybe.” He swatted her hand away as she tried to jab him with her finger. “She’s met everyone in the family except you. And don’t you want more people cheering for you?” He set his cell down. “Look, what’s going to distract you more? Not telling him at all, telling him before or telling him after?

“He’s not distracting me,” she argued.

Bran rolled his eyes. “It’s three days before the tournament and you just got home.”

“Oh shut up, stupid.”  
  


* * *

 

  
She tried. She really did.

Standing there after giving her order, she chewed her lip watching his marker against the cup. He didn’t even ask for a name now. Arya always just told him along with the order. But today, just like that very first day, she paused.

It wasn’t like things would change if she told him. It was just a name. It didn’t change that they’ve gotten to know one another… right? “Ginger tea for?” Tommen asked, the playfulness in his voice only adding to her nerves.

“Ar-Arry…” the girl stuttered with a sigh. Golden boy didn’t seem to notice her distress and she was thankful for it. 

“Hey Sunshine, you busy tomorrow?”

“Not really, why?”

Okay, this was her chance. She could just invite him and they could talk afterwards. But Arya couldn’t get the words out. “Never mind… Anyways, I’ll see ya.” Arya picked up her drink and headed towards the door.

“You’re not staying?”

Arya glanced over her shoulder. “I can’t today. Have some errands to run. I’ll see ya.”

 

* * *

  
She’d tell him. Today was the day. The day she’d been training for since she started fencing, the day she’d been working towards relentlessly in the past two years. It was also the day she was finally going to tell Tommen _her name._ She could wait till tomorrow but she spent the night thinking about it. Thinking about how it’d be nice for her to see him after her match. He made the last stretch of the journey bearable and managed to help make fencing _fun_ again.

  
They didn’t have time to things out maybe this could wait till tomorrow. She really did come for her cup of tea and just a chance to talk to him a bit, settle her nerves before the matches of the day began.

Pushing open the door, summoning courage from the jingle of the bell, Arya sucked in a breath. But before she managed to walk halfway to the counter…

"Good morning, Arya!" 

She stopped mid-stride, eyes wide and for once she found herself actually speechless. There was no way he could have known. Had he seen some of the promotions broadcasting on TV? “How did you—”

"Turns out I have connections." He looked so smug and gods, she couldn’t help but laugh. He had her tea ready and she supposed now that he knew her name there was no reason to wait. She ordered the same thing every day. Arya **wanted** to stop and talk but coming to the coffee shop had already been a bit of a detour from today’s schedule.

Only when she was leaving the shop did Arya think to look at her cup.

_Good Luck!! :)_

Him and his stupid curls… somehow she knew today would be a good day. She’d been training for this and now… she knew she had Tommen cheering for her. So stupidly stupid that this cup could feel so important.  
  


* * *

  
Arya was on fire during the day’s matches. She fenced better than she had in ages and even those who watch her grow as a fencer marveled at the day’s performance. Never had she competed in such a huge arena before thousands upon thousands of people. The day went faster than she could have thought.

Her cheeks hurt from all the smiling but she only smiled all the brighter when she saw her family waiting. “I did it,” she breathed, still in awe, unabled to contain the seemingly boundless energy she had. She talked a bit with her parents but Bran waved her over where he was with his girlfriend.

“Hey, you must be Myrcella,” she greeted with a smile, wiping her sweaty brow with the back of her hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Bran is kind of totally in love with you.”

Her brother repsonded to that by nearly rolling over her toes.

“I’ve heard a lot about you too,” Myrcella responded with this smile that left Arya a little wary.

“Really?” Arya peered over at Bran who shrugged.

“Not from me.”

“Then, who?”

Someone cleared their throat behind her. Arya turned to see a guy holding a Two Crown’s hot breverage cup and giving her a small wave.

“Sunshine?”

Arya walked towards him, biting her lip to keep herself from smiling. He’d sneak glances at her before looking back at his feet.

“I f-figured you’d maybe… want a ginger tea. You…You always came in after f-fencing. “ Poor guy looked as stunned as he did on their first meeting. He ran a hand through his hair, golden locks a great contrast to the red tint on his cheeks. He offered her the cup, arm trembling as he extended it.

Exhaling, Arya watched as he tried to smile again but kept avoiding her gaze.

“I should introduce myself,” she began, setting the cup of tea down on the bench beside her before facing Tommen. The girl quickly tiptoed and kissed his cheek, whispering by his ear.“I’m Arya Stark. Nice to meet you, Tommen.”


	2. Run with the Wolves (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These woods thick with overgrowth and towering trees belonged to the wolves. Even if those who didn’t believe of the tales of were-creatures and shape shifters were wise enough to avoid the forest on a full moon.
> 
> Shifter AU where Starks are werewolves and Lannisters are werelions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Part 1. I'm not sure if Part 2 will come immediately after this or if I'll post another AU meeting before I get to Part 2. But I for sure have a second part planned for this particular AU.

These woods thick with overgrowth and towering trees belonged to the wolves. Even if those who didn’t believe of the tales of were-creatures and shape shifters were wise enough to avoid the forest on a full moon.

Arya raced ahead of her pack. Though she was small for her age, the young werewolf had boundless energy and often found herself darting this way and that. Her father promised she could play freely here. When the bitter cold reached their home in the North, her father would lead the pack south. These were the same woods they returned to since her first shift. Other packs of shifters would not dare to harm her even if she wandered off. They recognized the presence of born-shifters. Her lineage could be traced back to the First Men. So father let her wander a little. As long as she was within howling distance, she could play to her little heart’s content.

Catching scent of a squirrel, Arya dropped low, butt waggling along with her attempt to stay down. She knew she wasn’t supposed to run with the wind because that would carry her scent rather than hide it but she was having too much fun trying to pounce on the quickly retreating creature.

The wind died down and she caught scent of something else, someone else… At least she thought it was someone. She could distinguish something odd about the scent though her untrained nose lacked the ability to identify it.

Snarling, she let out a growl in warning at the being hiding in the bush ahead.

 _Come out_ , she demanded, taking a step closer.

Ready to take another step, she took a sniff, inhaling **fear** and _sadness_. Circling the tree, she found a boy with the curliest and most golden hair she’d ever seen. He stood wide eyed, taking uneasy steps back.

Arya growled, muscles tense but she probably wasn’t that scary of a sight considering how small she was. Releasing a bark in warning, the boy crumbled onto the forest floor, curling into himself. From appearance, he seemed younger than her but even then in her wolf form she was still smaller.

It wasn’t her fault she couldn’t grow. She already ate _a lot_.

Arya stood a little straighter and took a step closer. The boy whimpered and curled up tighter and yes, that saltiness hovering in the atmosphere was tears. He was crying and making noises that sounded like a wounded animal. Yelping, she jumped a little trying to get his attention.

 _Shut up_. _Shut up before you lure other were-creatures here._ Didn’t he know better than to be out on a full moon? Just because other packs and species wouldn’t attack her and her pack, a vulnerable human making so much noise and tainting the air with so much fear would certainly attract unwanted company.

Throwing her head back, the little pup let out a howl. _Father! Father!_

With no delay, a massive grey wolf rushed through the bushes. He had his ‘alpha’ aura, making the air thick with intimidation as he snarled, eyeing the area for a threat. The grown wolf’s eyes softened at the sight of his daughter and nudged her behind him.

Mayhaps it was because it was her father but Arya never fould him terrifying but it seems the poor boy did because in her scruffle with her father trying to get a look at him, she couldn’t find him.

 _Did he run?_ she asked her father.

Ned shook his head, ceasing the low rumble in his throat and gesturing the small golden puff of fur in place of the boy.

 _The boy has Lannister blood._ Her father told her as he approached the little werelion cub. _Don’t be afraid young one. We won’t hurt you._

Arya poked her head out and weaved her way through her father’s legs to press her nose to the cub’s paw. _I was trying to get you to stop crying. Now you’re making it worse._

The cub whimpered and tried to burying his face further beneaeth his paws. Arya nibbled at his ear, tugging it playfully. _Don’t cry. I’m sorry if I frightened you…_

_How are you t-talking to me? H-How do I…?_

The pup tilted her head and nudged him again, trying to undo the ball the lion cub had curled himself into. Finding out she could not urge him out, she laid beside him and nuzzled him. _Don’t cry. I’m sorry… Please don’t cry._

It was then her mother and the rest of her siblings caught up to them. Rickon made a comment about smelling something funny and Sansa quickly hushed him.

Her father shared look with her mother. _He’s a Lannister. You know they don’t teach their young about the shift. The boy doesn’t know his own heritage. Catelyn, we can’t leave him out here. If the other packs were to find him, you know what they do to lost pups._

Arya paid little attention to the conversation between her parents from there, doing her best to comfort the trembling bundle of fur. _I’m Arya. This is my pack. My pack is a good pack and I promise we won’t hurt you._ She licked the ruffled patch of fur atop his head knowing that this is what her mother did when she was upset. It was weird since she hadn’t really groomed anyone besides herself but she thought it’d help.

Slowly, the cub moved his paws spying at the wolf pup that had a paw on his head. This whimpers were softer now, though his entire being shook from fright. _I’m… I’m Tommen. I’m not a lion. This has to be a bad dream._

 _I wouldn’t want to be the bearer of bad news but you’re a lion._ Arya pounced and trapped his tail between her paws. She nipped it playfully making Tommen yelp and finally get on all fours. _See? Lion._

 _That hurt!_ Tommen sat down, trying to ensure that she couldn’t reach his tail. She probably could but she wasn’t going to be mean about it. _Are you a…. a real wolf? Or are you…._

 _A shifter?_ Arya tried to balance on her hindlegs as she would in girl form. _I’m a born shifter. A born werewolf_. She yapped playfully, using her paw to step on his. _You’re a shifter too. But my father says you wouldn’t have know that_ _because your parents didn’t tell you_.

 _I’ve never sh-shifted before. Will this keep happening—_ Tommen stopped mid-question as Ned approached. The cub made himself seem even smaller in the presence of the Stark alpha.

Ned nudged both pup and cub in the direction of the rest of the pack. _We should go to the cave. It’s late. Tommen, is it? You’ll stay with us for the night. We’ll bring you home tomorrow._

Arya wiggled away to move behind Tommen, propelling him forward with her head to make sure he wouldn’t fall too behind. _I promise no one will bite_.

As they approached the rest of the pack, mother was carrying Bran by the scruff with Jon and Sansa following close behind. Robb had picked up Rickon since the pup had long tired himself out.

They arrived at the cave and the pack piled together. Arya was ready to take her place between her father and Jon but realized that Tommen lingered by the cave opening. Arya stepped over her siblings and tugged on Tommen’s ear.

 _I can sleep there_. He eyed the cave entrance and circled his spot before lying down.

Arya tugged harder on his ear. _No. You’ll get cold_. She couldn’t even imagine spending the night on her own without the warmth of pack. It was different after you shifted, the animal instincts are stronger and demand certain desires to be statisfied, especially the basics such as being with your pack. Arya tried to pick him up by the scruff but given the fact he was bigger than her she couldn’t do much. _Just hurry up and come over. I’m sleepy too._

Finally, Tommen moved to the pile of wolves. Arya pushed him closer but he refused to leave the edge. Defeated for now, Arya rested herself on his other side so that he’d at least partially be part of the pack pile. Giving the top of his head another lick, she rested her head against her brother’s hindleg and let herself drift to sleep.

 

Her father brought Tommen back to his family the next morning. They let him follow back to the cabin they stayed and waited until the cub managed to shift back to his boy form. Father insisted on personally bringing him home and having a talk with the family ensuring that some sort of arrangement was made. Now that he shifted once, it was likely he’d shift again.

But none of Tommen’s blood relatives were willing to embrace their ‘savage’ side, so her father offered to let Tommen run with them on the full moons if he wanted. Arya tasked herself with training the clueless cub in the way of being a shape shifter. She explained the moon cycle and how during some moons it was harder to retain their humanity and not give into instincts and how once you shift during a full moon, you would not be able to shift back till morning but how in other times the shfit could be mastered. She explained how lore foretold that in order to shift back during a full moon your name had to be spoken to you by someone who loved you.

 

They played most days during that short winter. Arya would wait in the woods until the excited blond joined her. The first few times she had to coax the shift out of him. She did so by hiding and surprising him, tackling him to the ground. Usually, the initial fright was enough to scare him into shifting. A few times she had to sit there telling him to “Feel your inner beast. Feel it. _Feel it_.”

Once, Tommen had argued. “I just can’t feel it.”

To which Arya retorted, “You better feel it because I’m shifting before the sun hits mid-point and I’m going to play in the forest with or without you.”

As extra motivation, she shifted into a wolf. They couldn’t communicate again unless she shifted back (which she didn’t plan on) or he became a lion cub.

He shifted within moments of that statement.

Arya nipped at his ears to get his attention before trying to groom that rough patchy mess atop his head. _Hold still_. She now understood why mother had such a hard time trying to get her fur clean when she moved about.

 _It tickles!_ He whined and pulled away before trying to pounce onto her. She dodged him easily and managed to pin him on his back. Arya nuzzled Tommen playfully.

_Arya…?_

_Yeah?_ She stopped nuzzling him, standing up a little straighter as she eyed the cub.

The lion cub rolled over, lying flat on his belly. _What happens when your pack leaves?_

Arya plopped to the space beside him, resting her head upon his back. _I guess this will be your territory. You’ll have to keep it safe for us until we come back._

_You promise you’ll come back?_

Tugging on his ear, the she-wolf reached over licked the side of his muzzle. _I promise._

It was a promise she kept in her heart for _years_. When they returned home as the winter snows thawed and brought summer snows, there was no true reason to once again travel south. Not for years. But every so often, the she-wolf found herself thinking about that poor cub, the one that was frightened into shifting. Wolves… lions…. They were pack animals. She wondered if Tommen found a pride that would take him in. Or would he have been safer with the pack? They had treated the cub as one of their own. Her siblings and parents welcomed him and as she strolled through these familiar woods… she had to wonder if they made the right decision then.

Her parents decided to stay in Winterfell when the snows came again. They said they had to teach Robb how to rule and take care of the pack one day. Sansa mated and joined another, so Arya was tasked with bringing her younger brothers south. Arya mostly agreed to avoid the suitors up North. Many werewolves from other packs had began visiting and she much rather spend this time hunting and playing with her brothers.

The full moon was not for a few days but Arya wanted to survey the territory first. Who knew how pack dynamics changed in the time they’ve been away?

Leaving her shoes near a tree, she much preferred being bare foot, feeling the rush of the woods, the pulse of life surrounding her. Sprinting, leaping, rolling in the grass, she ensured that she didn’t lower her guard too much. But these woods were safe… she trusted the instinct in her gut telling her that she could let her guard down here.

There was no scent of any other wolves mixed into the fresh aroma of nature, no stale ones either which meant the territory had not been taken over by other packs. A good sign, she’d have to say considering she’d be considered a trespasser if these were claimed lands.

Not much had changed she noted, she still recognized her way around. As she approached the cave her pack often made home during the summer times, a chill made its way down her spine.

_Blood._

The distinct scent hit the roof of her nose. Not the blood of prey, no there was another interwoven scent, familiar but not one she could place. A snarl rumbled in her throat as she entered the cave, dim lighting denying her a good vision of the area but as she approached she noticed the figure pressed to the cave wall.

Arya growled, muscles tensing as she arched down, ready to pounce.

She was met with a whine as the figure began to stir. Arya took a small step towards the obviously wounded animal. The rusty tang of blood only strengthened as she moved deeper.

_Go away._

A werelion. A young one at that. His mane was just coming in from what she could tell. No, there was something off about his mane.

 _You’re hurt._ She answered, taking one step then another. The closer she moved the easier it was to pick out the werelion’s scent beneat the blood. _Tommen?_

_Please go away…_

Arya watched him try to hide beneath his paws, paws it seemed he’d grown into after all these years. She inched closer, nudging his paw gently with her nose. Upon closer inspection, she realized his mane had grown in but someone had taken a knife and chopped at it in jagged motions. _I’m not going anywhere._ She began to groom what was left of his mane.

 _Arya?_ The werelion lifted his head out of his paws. _You’re back…_ He whimpered when Arya’s tongue roamed over the wound over his leg.

 _I promised… didn’t I?_ She paused for a moment to get a better look at him. _Now what happened to you, pup? What were you gonna do if I didn’t come along? You couldn’t have stayed here forever._ Arya gave his mane another attempt at a grooming.

Tommen gave the side of Arya’s muzzle a half-hearted lick. _Don’t go again._

 _I won’t._ She nuzzled him gently. _We need to get you to a maester._

Tommen shifted his weight to press himself against Arya for warmth, giving her muzzle a few more licks. _I missed you. Don’t go._

_I missed you too. I don’t plan on leaving you any time soon, you silly pup._


End file.
